Get Organized
Organizing a Child's Bedroom
Question: Can you give me some suggestions for organizing a combination
bedroom/playroom for twin boy/girl who are 2 years old?
Robin
Answer: Robin,
Bedroom/playroom combinations are one of the biggest organizing challenges
parents face, but at least having a combination confines the clutter to one
room (literally).
Try to create zones or centers, just like they do in preschools and day
cares. Start with a sleeping center, to make night time rituals easy and
conductive to sleeping. Create mini-sleeping quarters for your children
complete with fluffy pillows, fun colorful bedsheets, and a night light.
When they get a little older you might consider adding a short bed side
table, perhaps one fashioned from a milk crate that is "kid friendly" to put
kleenex, a digital clock, and spill proof cup of water.
In the meantime, create a Wake Up center near their beds and fill it with
quiet toys for them to play with when they wake up each morning. Maybe you
have to rustle your little ones out of bed and only need these tools for the
weekends, but have them at the ready just in case: puppets, Magnadoodle(tm),
stuffed animals, and books.
Define a portion of the room as the play area, and set this up in zones for:
reading (beanbag, books, milk crates or short book shelves), dramatic play
(non-breakable mirror, hooks, and dress up clothes), housekeeping (dishes,
dolls, toy vacuum, stove, doll bed, etc.). Another area that is great for
your play room is the art center, where you can either set up an easel
(two-sided is best so your children can create masterpieces together) with
chalk, eraser, paper, markers and paint (I'm sure you will reserve use of
these when you can supervise them!). Near your table and chairs, set up an
area for manipulative to encourage math, science, and other discoveries.
My son never used the table and chairs for puzzles, preferring to spread out
on the floor, so you can always make these areas portable by storing them in
tote bags or tubs with handled lids.
I hope this helps you in your quest to contain the clutter, and starts your
family on clearing a path to successful learning and play.
Good luck,
Debbie Williams
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